Gloriosa plant named ‘Crimson Flame’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Gloriosa  cultivar named ‘Crimson Flame’ is disclosed, characterized by large flowers with an open petal habit, rapid growth, and exceptional longevity of flowers on the plant. Flowers are characteristically more red than known  Gloriosa  varieties. The new cultivar is a  Gloriosa , typically suited indoor ornamental container use.

Latin name of the genus and species: Gloriosa hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Crimson Flame’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The new variety originated from a cross pollination of the seed parent, an unpatented Gloriosa superba with the pollen parent, an unpatented proprietary selection of Gloriosa lutea referred to as ‘#7’ directed by the inventor in 1998. The crossing was made in Nootdorp, the Netherlands, at a commercial greenhouse owned by the breeder.

‘Crimson Flame’ was discovered by the inventor, Wim Brouwer, in 1999 in Nootdorp, the Netherlands, at the same commercial greenhouse among seedlings resulting from the 1998 crossing.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘Crimson Flame’ was first performed in the Netherlands at the inventor's greenhouse by tubers, and subsequently by tissue culture at a laboratory in the Netherlands. ‘Crimson Flame’ has since produced multiple generations from tubers and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Crimson Flame’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Crimson Flame.’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Crimson Flame’ as a new and distinct Gloriosa cultivar:

-   -   1. Larger flower, with a more open petal habit.     -   2. More rapidly growing plant.     -   3. Flower color with significantly more red.     -   4. Exceptionally long flower longevity on the plant

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Crimson Flame’ are similar to the female parent Gloriosa superba in most horticultural characteristics. However, ‘Crimson Flame’ differs in producing faster growing plants, with shorter internodes, and larger, darker leaves. ‘Crimson Flame’ also has significantly more red in the flower color, and a flower with a more open petal habit.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Crimson Flame’ are similar to the male parent Gloriosa lutea ‘#7’ in most horticultural characteristics. However, ‘Crimson Flame’ differs in producing more flowers per flowering stem, flowers and flowers with more longevity than the male parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘Crimson Flame’ can best be compared to the parent varieties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color typical plants of ‘Crimson Flame’ grown in a greenhouse in Nootdorp, the Netherlands. These plants are approximately 6 months old, shown in a 18 and 15 cm pots. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘Crimson Flame’ plants grown in a greenhouse in Nootdorp, the Netherlands. Temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 20° C. at night to 18° C. to 25° C. during the day. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to the plants. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Gloriosa hybrid ‘Crimson Flame.’ -   Age of the plant described: Approximately 8 months. -   Container size of the plant described: 18 cm

PROPAGATION

-   Typical propagation material: Tubers -   Tuber description: Tuber, horizontally growing, average length of     tuber: 13.2 cm, average width: 2.4 cm, tuber colored near RHS     Greyed-Orange N170A and Grey-Brown N199D, both colors present,     dotted darker, with N199B, growing tip colored near a range between     White N155C to Greyed-Purple 186C.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright -   Height: Measured from top soil line of pot, approximately 55 cm to     top of highest leaf, when trained around a wreath. -   Plant spread: Approximately 35 cm. -   Growth rate: Rapid. -   Branching characteristics: Flowering stems grow directly from the     base -   Main stem diameter: Average: 5 mm -   Main stem average length: More than 2 meters. -   Main stem color: 144A/B -   Main stem texture: Smooth, glossy -   Quantity of stems: Average 3 major stems per plant

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Average length.—Approximately 21.2 cm.         -   Average width.—Approximately 6.4 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Narrow ovate.         -   Apex.—Long apiculate with a leaf tip tendril.         -   Base.—Rounded to short cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Attachment.—Sessile.         -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, glossy.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, very glossy.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A.             Young foliage under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Mature             foliage upper side: Near RHS Green N137A. Mature foliage             under side: Near RHS Green 137B.         -   Venation.—Type: Parallel. Venation color upper side: Near             RHS Green N137A. Venation color under side: Near RHS Green             137B/C. -   Other foliage structures/description: Tendrils, colored near RHS     Yellow-Green 144B, length approximately 11 cm, uncurled.

FLOWER

-   Time to flowering greenhouse grown: Approximately 16 weeks under     ideal conditions. -   Rate of flower opening: Flowering commences from bottom to top, each     individual flower opens approximately one week after the flower     beneath it has opened. -   Flower longevity on plant: Approximately 14 days -   Quantity of flowers: Average: 3 opened flowers per stem -   Inflorescence type and habit: Single, rotate, tepals typically     reflexed -   Fragrance: No -   Flower size:     -   -   Height.—Approximately 9.6 cm.         -   Width.—Approximately 9.6 cm. -   Tepals:     -   -   Quantity.—6.         -   Arrangement.—Rotate.         -   Size.—Length: Approximately 9.4 cm. Width: Approximately 2.6             cm.         -   Margin.—Entire, involute and wavy.         -   Aspect.—Whole flower nodding, tepals strongly reflexed in an             average angle of 45° (0°=horizontal).         -   Shape.—Narrow elliptic.         -   Apex.—Narrow acute.         -   Texture.—Smooth, very slightly glossy. -   Color:     -   -   Tepals: When opening: Outer surface: Near RHS Greyed-Purple             187D, margin and base Yellow-Green 150A. Inner surface: Near             RHS Greyed-Purple 187D, margin and base Yellow-Green 150A.             Fully opened: Outer surface: A color between RHS Red 53A and             Red-Purple 60A, margins near Green-Yellow 1A. Inner surface:             A color between RHS Red 53A and Red-Purple 60A, margins             Green-Yellow 1B, base Yellow-Green 151A. Color Changes when             Aging: Not fading. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Elongated deltoid shape.         -   Length.—Approximately 5.7 cm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 2.8 cm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green N144D. -   Sepals: If present: Not present, tepals only. -   Pedicels:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 20.0 cm.         -   Width.—Approximately 0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, slightly glossy.         -   Aspect.—In an average angle of 50° to stem (0°=vertical).         -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A. -   Other floral structures: No

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—Average 6.         -   Filament length.—Approximately 3.6 cm.         -   Filament color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C.         -   Anther length.—0.9 cm.         -   Anther color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144D, immature pollen             near RHS Greyed-Yellow 160A.         -   Anther shape.—Narrow oblong.         -   Pollen.—Moderate to high, colored near Yellow-Orange 23A. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—1.         -   Length.—Approximately 6.2 cm.         -   Style color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145A.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Cleft (three-parted). Color: Near RHS             Yellow-Green 144B.         -   Ovary color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: No seeds/fruits detected to date. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     common diseases and pets of Gloriosa have been observed in the new     variety. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures from approximately     10° C. to 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Gloriosa hybrid plant named ‘Crimson Flame’ as herein illustrated and described. 